My Senior Year
by stargazer84
Summary: Sora tells of her years in school, and how one person can make your last year the best in your life.


Ok, I know you guys are waiting for the third chapter of New Horizons, and the next chapter of The witch story, don't worry I'm getting to it. I've been really busy lately. This story was actually my boyfriend's idea so most of the credit goes to him, and some parts of this story are actually true. Most of the senior year portion is what has happened to me so far, so I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the events that take place, throughout the fic. Thank you, and have a nice day! ^^

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My Senior Year 

Throughout all my years of school, I could not wait for my senior year. As a child in elementary school, looking towards my last year of school couldn't come sooner. For one thing, I never really fit in. I wasn't girly enough to play house or jump rope with the girls, and I wasn't boyish enough to play tag or kickball with the guys.

I was an outcast. Looked upon as a tomboy. Not once did anybody ask if I wanted to play Not once did anyone ask if I was ok when I as crying alone in the corner of the playground. It was as though nobody knew that I even existed. Until I was in sixth grade.

Middle school was a time when you had to get used to rotating classes. Thrust into rooms with different people with unfamiliar faces. At first it seemed as though you would never be able to find your way around, or be able to handle the monstrous amount of homework that was forced upon you. It had to be about late September before you really got the hang of things. And it was that same month that I met my best friend.

Feeling lower than scum one day, I entered my history class and quietly took my usual seat in the back corner. I looked down at my notebook and sighed. I had four more periods to go, and then I can go home and not have to interact with the hierarchy of our sixth grade class that talked about me behind my back, when it was quite obvious that I could hear every word that they were saying. It was then that I noticed that someone was waving their hand in front of my face.

            "You all right? You look kind of bummed."

I looked to the face that ask me a question. He was the boy that sat in front of my in some of my classes. His name was Taichi Kamiya. He was considered one of the more popular boys of our grade. Never once did I imagine that he would ever communicate with a person of such a low stature such as myself, nor care if I was ok. I nodded, and looked back down at my desk.

            "Lair. I can tell when something is wrong with someone. Your eyes say it all." He said. "They seem to tell me that no one really knows you, either that or no one wants to know you. But you know what Sora, I do."

I looked back up at him as he took his seat. Not once was anybody able to read me like that, and this boy seemed to know every emotion, every problem that I've faced within the last twelve years. He turned around to look at me again.

            "So what do you say? Do you want to hang out?"

I glanced around the room to make sure that this wasn't some cruel joke. But as usual, no one bothered to glance in this direction.

            "Ok." I whispered.

            "Great! Why don't you meet me at the soccer field in the park around three."

He had a huge smile on his face and his eyes seemed to shine. I smiled back at him, I made my first friend.

That afternoon was great. We really got to know each other over a game of soccer. Though he did seem thoroughly surprised when I beat him. After that we spent almost everyday together. And during the summer we went to the same camp, and met all the others, but you already know that story.

We all became great friends, and as great friend we all had out moments of disagreements. Matt and Tai with their constant bickering over every little thing, Mimi with her complaining, Joe panicking. And Izzy…well he had his computer. But that's what makes them special. And they made me feel needed.

Our freshman year was just like entering middle school. Well… with the exception of being older and a little more mature. But still, new classes, new teachers, new faces. We all stuck together our freshman year. Most of us even had classes together. Tai was in every one of them except for our elected course. I had an art class and he was taking foods. We both had sports after school so we normally waited for the others practice to be over and then we would walk home together. Talking over nothing in particular, but still enjoying the fact that we had someone who would listen.

Although he wasn't as close to me as Tai was, but me and Matt had a couple of classes together and we had started to hang out more often. Walks in the park, or we would go out for pizza, but we became really good friends throughout the course of the year.

Freshman year flew with the blink of an eye, and before we knew it we were sophomores. A step up from being annoying little freshman, but still in the way of the upperclassman. It didn't seem to bother us much though. We (the gang) kind of hung out, especially when that whole digimon emperor thing came. But some how we all started to drift. Tai and I didn't really hang out as much as we used to. I basically lost all contact with Mimi, but me and Matt still hung out. A lot actually.

By Christmas, I realized that I had developed a crush on our blond haired, blue-eyed rock star. But you know that too. And when Tai had confronted me I felt so terrible. I saw the look in his eyes as I went through that door. You know, the one that said 'I lost her.'

I had just ripped the heart and soul out of the one person that offered to be my friend. Ripped it out and ran over it like a car over road kill. I couldn't do this to him, but somehow I found myself as Matt's girlfriend.

By the time that the digiworld was safe, and the rest of us got on with our lives, it was our third year of high school.

Junior year. A year that was considered one of the most important. Good grades were needed to show colleges that we were serious about our studies. A year when we had to have some idea on what we were going to be in the future. The year Matt and I split. Why? Well, for one thing I know how much his band means to him, and I didn't want to be in the way if or when he made his big break. It would have happened sooner or later, so why not do it when the pain wouldn't be so unbearable.

When Tai found out about our separation he was by my side. He didn't bother to ask if I was all right, because he knew that I wasn't.

            "I'll be here for you."

That's all that he said, and that's all that I needed him to say.

That year was tough. Breaking up with my first boyfriend, losing all contact with Mimi after a huge blow out over Matt, and trying to make mine and Tai's friendship back to the way it was.

Over the summer I went to tennis camp and visited numerous colleges. I had decided to go into the fashion industry. I really enjoy drawing clothes for others. I plan to design my prom dress this year too.

I couldn't wait for school to start. I had a great schedule this year, and I was announced as the captain of the tennis team, I was thrilled.

October came and Halloween was ahead. Tai invited me to go with him, his sister and a couple of his friends to go to this Trail of Terror in a near by town. I accepted of course.

Tai and Kari picked me up around eight that Friday night. But because of our inability to read a map, we ended up about half an hour away from our original destination. And no, Tai didn't make the map. We laughed about it, and finally got there. We all had to wait about two hours before we were actually allowed to walk the trail. It sucked though. It wasn't even scary, me and Kari made fun of it the whole way through.

About two weeks later we went to another haunted trail at an amusement park, not far from where we lived. We (Tai, Kari, TK, and I) were originally going to leave at five, but because TK had basketball practice we couldn't leave until seven. By the time we got our tickets. It was really windy, really cold, and we had a three-hour wait ahead of us.

We finally got in, but none of us wanted to go first. Being the brave soul that he is, Tai told TK to take the front and have Kari and me in the middle, and he would take the end of the line. Just in case.

As we walked through, I learned that:

1.) TK can scream louder than Kari

2.) Kari has an evil sense of humor when she told the people who scared us that the next group was a bunch of nine-year-old girls that screamed at their own shadows. And

3.) Tai was worse than the nine year olds. Courage my ass.

Tai held onto my shoulders and hid his head in between my shoulder blades, but I was enjoying the closeness. Towards the end I realized that Tai had his arm around my shoulders. But I just smiled and kept walking.

November arrived and the third was Tai's birthday. Unfortunately we had to spend half the day taking the dreaded SAT's. But later that night he threw a party. But what surprised me was the reaction he had after he opened my gift. I had given him a beautiful photo album with his name inscribed on it, and it was filled with pictures of the two of us. And on the last page was one picture that had him giving me a piggyback ride on the beach. Underneath it I wrote:

            To the one person in my life that I treasure more than all of God's creations. To the one person that cared. To Tai on your eighteenth birthday, may it be the best you ever had. Thank you for everything you've done for me. Love always and forever, Sora.

He cried. He looked up at me with tears in his eyes and mouthed, 'No, thank you for being in my life.'

A few weeks later was homecoming. I was walking from psychology to art when I heard Tai call out to me and asked me to wait.

            "Going to art?" he asked.

            "Yup. Where are you headed?"

            "Foods. Hey, um…I was wondering if you wanted to go to homecoming with me?"

I looked up at him to find that he was a very interesting shade of pink, and found the floor that he was walking on very interesting.

            "Sure, why not." I said. Feeling a blush creep up my neck and to my face.

That Friday was the dance, and I was as nervous as all heel. He arrived around seven-thirty with a smile and a beautiful pink rose. The night was perfect, no it was better than perfect it was heaven. I was in his arms the whole night, and I never wanted to leave. But as they say, 'All good things must come to an end.' He brought me home around eleven thirty. I hugged him and thanked him for such a wonderful evening.

            "Any time, Sora, any time." He said.

December 7. Not really a great day for our country, because of what we did to the Americans, but on this day, it meant so much more to me.

It was Friday, and in my hand was a piece of paper that could either bring the greatest joy into my life or it could end it completely. The bell rang signaling that it was the end of sixth period and we have four minutes to get to our last class of the day. As I entered the senior house I saw Tai at his locker. I approached him.

            "Hey! Where are you suppose to be?" he asked, while getting his stuff out for his law class. 

            "Study hall. Here, don't read this till later." I said as I handed him the note and started to walk off.

            "How much later, like five minutes?"

            "Make it ten!" And I practically ran around the corner. I wanted him to read it when I knew that I wouldn't be around.

The note contained everything that I felt for him. Telling him how much I needed him in my life, that I wished that I had done this sooner, and if he didn't feel the same that I would understand, but I still wanted to be his friend.

All weekend I hadn't received one phone call from him, not even an email. I started to panic. Finally Monday arrived and after first period I was walking up to my psychology class and he was walking down to his modern Japanese class. He handed me a note. I took it and forced myself not to open it until I was seated in my class. When I was I looked at the folded sheet of paper. It said 'Don't open 'til Christmas, never mind open it now.' So I did. I read the fourteen-word note and laughed. It said:

            _Sora,_

_            Would you like to see a movie with me on Friday?_

_                                                Love,_

                                                Tai 

            "Stupid Tai." I laughed. 'At least it's not a no.'

Friday December 14. I paced my kitchen as I kept staring at the clock. 'Stupid thing,' I thought, 'tick faster.' I was waiting for it to say it was six o'clock.

            "Are you trying to make a trench in my kitchen?" my mom asked with a smile.

I smiled back shyly. She knew that I was nervous. The doorbell rang and I bolted for the door. But before I opened it, I told myself to chill. I opened the door to find Tai with a pleasant smile on his face.

            "Ready to go?" he asked.

            "Yup." I said as I grabbed my coat, and said bye to my mother, and got in his car.

We saw Shallow Hal. And though it wasn't as funny as I thought it was going to be, I was ok. Towards the last ten minutes of the film I finally got up the nerve to put my hand on his. He turned his hand slightly and weaved his fingers with mine. I felt a warm tingly sensation flow through me as we watched the ending.

Unfortunately Tai had to work the next day and couldn't stay out late, so he had to bring me home. As we came to my front door I turned to hug him. He held me tightly against him. I could feel his breath on my neck.

            "I hoped you had a good time," he said in my ear.

            "Of course, it wouldn't be anything but." I replied as I released him.

He looked down at me with his warm brown eyes. There was something in them, some strong emotion that seemed to radiate from those two brown orbs. It was pulling me towards him. This was something that I never felt from Matt, this was better, this was more demanding, this was love.

I never knew what my crest really meant until this moment. It was so powerful, it seemed to just take over my mind and body, because what I did next is something shy, little, me would have never had done. I grabbed the collar of Tai's shirt and crushed my lips firmly on to his. 

At first I could feel him tense up, not quite sure what to do or what was happening. But after like five seconds he seemed to relax and started to responded with the same amount of enthusiasm as me. I never felt so needed, so loved until this moment. And it was only the beginning.

January. Coming back to school over a long vacation is definitely tiring. And when you return, you realize that you have three weeks until midterms, college applications are due, prom is in a few months, and graduation is just around the corner. So much to do, with so little time to do it in.

I had received my SAT scores over Christmas break, I got a 1070. I was pleased. I was hoping to at least break a thousand. I was planning on applying to Tokyo University. I sent all my stuff towards the end of the month, so I was anxiously waiting the next few months to hear from them.

Valentine's Day arrived and I think the school was a little heart happy when it came to decorating the hallways. As I entered the senior house I went up the stairs to my locker, and low and behold was Tai holding a dozen roses in his hand.

As I approached him I could feel my face burning and my knees go weak as he turned and smiled at me. With a hug and a kiss, he handed me the flowers and we walked to our first period.

In like a lion and out like a lamb is how the month of March is described. Stormy at first, then calm. I was a nervous wreck waiting for my acceptance letter from the university. And finally when I approached my front door after school one day I checked the mail and there was a thick envelope addressed to me. I ran into my house and straight into my room. I put my book bag down, and sat on my bed. I held the envelope tightly, too afraid to open it. I couldn't open it. I put it on my bed and reached for the phone.

            "Hello?"

            "Tai. It's me, can you come over?"

            "Sure, I'll be there in five minutes."

And sure enough, the doorbell rang in five minutes.

            "Hey, what's up?" he asked.

            "I need you to do something for me," I said as I let him in and led him to my room, "open this for me, and read it."

He looked at the letter and then back up at me.

            "Are you sure you want me to open this, Sora?"

            "Yes, please."

He turned the letter over and ripped the top carefully pulling out the information it contained, he read the first document to himself. When he was finished he sighed and looked at me.

            "I'm so sorry Sora," he said and I could instantly feel the tears brimming my eyes. "but it looks like your stuck with me through college too."

I snapped my head up, and looked at him.

            "What?" I asked.

            "You've been accepted to Tokyo University."

I jumped off my bed and into his awaiting arms. I got in!

April vacation. A time to relax, soak some sun, and not have to worry about school for another week. It was unusually worm during that break, so Tai and me spent most of the time hanging at the beach. One of those days I wanted to spend getting a tan before the prom, but it was rudely interrupted when a bucket of water was dumped over me, soaking my towel and everything else that was around me at the time. I looked up to see none other than my humorous boyfriend laughing at me.

            "Laugh it up jerk!" I yelled as I started to sprint after him into the water.

But I stopped when he had dove under the water, and out of sight. I cautiously eyed the water, when all of a sudden my legs were taken out from under me, and under I went. When I came back up to the surface, he was standing there with a huge grin on his face. I couldn't help but smile, he looked so cute standing there. I instantly forgave him and we held each other in the water for what seemed like eternity. At the end of the day, we sat at the little café that was located across the street from the beach and watched the sunset while eating a fabulous dinner that was made for two. 

May. No more vacations, no more days off. This was it; we had one month to get the best possible grades, while trying to concentrate on the now, and not all the events that were coming up. This was the month that almost every teacher decides that it would be a good time to cram a couple thousand tests and quizzes in before grades are due. I had so much to do, My portfolio was due in a week for art and I still had two projects to finish, I had handed in my design for my prom dress during vacation and I had to go in to the shop to see how much was finished and an approximate date to see when I could pick up the finished result, then there was ordering a limo, and packing for our trip the weekend after prom. Stressful? You bet, but it will all be worth it in the end.

Friday May 31. I got a call from the shop that was putting my dress together; they said that they needed me to come down to make sure that the dress fit. I arrived and they told me to go into one of their fitting rooms. They brought my dress out, and it looked exactly the way I wanted it to. It was navy blue, the first layer was a regular blue and the second was a darker shade with glittery vines and flowers. It was a V-shaped front that was held up by black bungee cord straps, and it was backless with the cords forming a criss-cross. It wasn't puffy; it was more form fitting until about mid-thigh then it just flowed. I tried it on and it fit perfectly. I couldn't wait to wear it for prom. 

Prom was tomorrow, and I was so excited that I could hardly contain myself. Today I was going to get my nails done. I wanted tem to match my dress color, and the guy even put on red and orange jewels on them. I thought they looked cute. 

Friday June 7. This was it, our senior prom. A night to remember for the rest of our lives. Our theme was "Yesterday", the colors were gold and silver, and our song was "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Claptin. (A/N: I'm not sure if that's how you spell his name. Oh well) 

I was in my room putting the last touches on my face, when I heard the doorbell ring. Tai was here. I looked myself over one last time. My hair was up with ringlets of curls, and some of them fell around my head, my makeup was light enough to give it a natural look, my dress looked fine, shoes were good. I guess I was ready. I slowly made my way to my bedroom door; down the hall, and I made my way down the stairs. Tai was in the living room with my mom, who was fussing over how handsome he looked, and other things like that, when she paused to look at me. Tai turned around and I thought his eyes were going to fall out of his head. He didn't look too bad himself. He had a black tux, with a midnight blue tie to match my dress. In his hand was the most beautiful corsage I've ever seen. It was a rose that was red at the base but faded into pink at the tips, and it was surrounded by yellow baby's breath. He slipped it on my hand as my mom started to snap away with the camera. 

After becoming severely blind by the flash on my mom's camera, we left and drove off to our prom in our limo. We arrived, and found our table. The food was pretty good, but his year we decided to have an all night buffet, instead of a set dinner. To bad I don't remember very many events that happened, my excuse, what do you? I was with Tai the whole night, and everything around us just disappeared. But I do remember that there was some catfight between two girls over Matt, I was betting on the blond cheerleader to win, Tai thought the brunette basketball player would. They were forced to leave the dance, and I became ten bucks richer that night.

After prom, Tai walked me up to my door and kissed me good night. We weren't going to any parties that night because we were going to leave for his aunts house the next morning and it was a long drive and we both needed sleep. My dreams were filled with nothing but Tai holding me the whole night.

I double-checked my suitcases the next morning to make sure that I had everything that I needed for our three-day vacation. Shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits, sunscreen, money, ect. It was around ten thirty when Tai arrived, and I helped him lug my bags into his car, said good bye to my mom, and off we went. We had a four-hour drive ahead of us. Let's just say I never saw so many cows in my whole life.

Tai's aunt's house was basically in the middle of nowhere, and surrounded by luscious woods, and just down the path was a crystal clear lake. The house was huge…yea definitely big, and we had it all to ourselves. His aunt had a "business trip" to attend to. Anyways, I absolutely loved the house. It wood paneling and it had three floors. The first floor had a huge kitchen, living room with a complete and very expensive entertainment system, surround sound and everything, an indoor porch from which you could see the pond and woods, she even had a Jacuzzi in the porch. The second floor had three master sized bedrooms and an office. All three rooms had a queen size bed, Huge walk in closets, a desk, and their own bathrooms. The third floor was the game room. It had an official sized pool table, dartboard, basketball hoop, fuse ball, and air hockey. I was in heaven, absolute heaven. It was like staying in grand hotel and it was all expense paid.

The first day we just relaxed the whole day, we watched a numerous amount of movies, ordered pizza and tried out the Jacuzzi. Around midnight we both decided to turn in. But when we reached the stairs the both of us stopped. We looked at each other and started to talk at the same time. We laughed then he tried again.

            "Look, if you're not ready for…you know…THAT type of commitment, then we don't have to do it. Um…I mean only if you're sure…or…" he sighed trying to form the right words. 

            "I know what you're trying to say, and I don't think I'm ready to have sex yet, but I know that when I am, I would only share that kind of act with you." I said, as I shyly looked at his face, afraid of disappointment. But instead I got a genuine Taichi smile, the same one that he gave me when we first met and I knew everything would be ok.

For the next two days we spent hiking the trails in the woods, swimming in the pond, and kicking each other's ass in the game room. It was sad when we had to leave. It was something about this place that just seemed to take me back to all the good memories of the digiworld. The air, the colors of the plants, and the sounds that the woods provided. Tai seemed to sense it all too. As we left I felt as though I was leaving something special behind. 

The last week of school seemed to take its sweet and precious time. We had finals to take, graduation practice, and did I mention that I was Valedictorian of my class? So I had to write a speech. Could it get any more stressful? 

Friday June 14, Graduation Day. I'm going to faint. There is no way in hell I'm going to be able to deliver this speech with out messing up. There are so many people out there that were all going to be watching my every move, Parents, fellow classmates, teachers. I'm screwed. After the principle made his speech, it was the moment I had been dreading. I tried to walk up to the podium as calmly as I could. I looked at my note cards, then out at the audience. 

            "I was going to read this speech that took me a week to write, but the words that I wrote aren't true. I can't say that I will remember everything that happened throughout my years of school, why should I? We all had rough times that we don't want to go through again, and some that we wished never happened. I can't say that all of you are the greatest people I've ever met, because you're not. Hell, I don't even know half of you, and you probably have no clue who I am. All I can say is that if you've made it this far in life without screwing up, then I congratulate you. I hope life treats you fairly and good luck in the future."

As I sat down, it was so quiet that you could here a pin drop. Then slowly the clapping started until it got to be unbearable. I let out my breath and looked to where Tai was sitting, he smiled at me and continued to clap. The principal then started to hand out diplomas. As soon as everyone received it, he was about to say it was time to throw our hats off, when someone in our class shouted.

            "WAIT!"

I turned to see who yelled, who else but Tai would interrupt one of the most important part of graduation. He ran to the stage and to the podium. 

            "Sorry about this, but before we're claimed officially free from this juvenile detention center, I have something important to do." He said as he took the microphone off it's stand, and started to walk towards me. He pulled something out of his pocket, and got down on one knee. I held my breath. "Sora Takenouchi, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

I stared at him with wide eyes that started to tear. I fell out of my seat and into his arms. 

            "Of course I will."

And as he slipped the ring on my finger the whole class through up their hats and started to cheer. I looked at Tai and mouthed 'I love you.' He repeated the same. And that, ladies and gentleman, was my senior year. 

A/n: Finally done! Yeah! Reviews are welcome. Till next time folks, C-ya!

                                    ~*~sr~*~


End file.
